Chris Vance on Free Trade

Promoting trade creates economic growth and recovery

Q: How will you work to balance trade with other countries and economic recovery at home?

Chris Vance: I think promoting trade with other countries will create economic growth and recovery.
I am a strong supporter of free trade agreements. Trade is good for the world, good for America, and especially good for Washington State where 40% of our jobs are based on international trade.

Free trade is good for America and good for the world

Free trade is good for the world, good for the United States, and especially good for Washington State. Washington is the most trade dependent state in the nation. Our economy is based on our ability to sell our airplanes, software, and farm products all
over the world. The ports of Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham, and Longview are major employers. High tariffs and other restrictions on trade would devastate our economy by raising prices on consumer goods and crippling Washington State's industries.

But
trade agreements only work if they are enforced. The US must be vigilant in demanding that other countries abide by agreements, especially in the area of currency manipulation, so there is truly a fair and even playing field for global trade and
competition.

And the next President--Republican or Democrat--needs trade promotion authority; the authorization to negotiate trade deals within specified parameters that can only be voted up or down by Congress. Every President since WWII has had TPA!